JUDY WOODRUFF (Newshour): Finally tonight, the Mexican government says it has taken out a major target in its war on drug cartels.
Ray Suarez has our story.
And a warning: Some viewers may find images in his report disturbing.
RAY SUAREZ (Newshour): It was front-page news in Mexico City today. Mexican Marines had killed the leader of the Zetas drug cartel, Heriberto Lazcano, in a shoot-out Sunday.
The navy announced fingerprints confirmed the identity. Then a bizarre twist: Gunmen stole the body from a funeral home before forensic testing could be completed.
HOMERO RAMOS, Coahuila State attorney general (through translator): The owner of Garcia funeral services said notified local authorities that a heavily armed group of masked men subdued the employees, took the body from the funeral home in a hearse and forced the driver to drive the vehicle.
RAY SUAREZ: And officials released a death photo of the man said to be Lazcano. Still, the state attorney general, overseeing the operation, said authorities are confident they got the right man.
HOMERO RAMOS (through translator): An analysis was done comparing the body and its characteristics with the still pictures of Heriberto Lazcano on file. This comparison resulted in a positive match.
RAY SUAREZ: Lazcano was one of Mexico's most feared drug lords, also known as El Verdugo, the Executioner. He transformed the Zetas from enforcers for the Gulf Cartel into a powerful rival organization.
Since then, the Zetas have been blamed for some of the bloodiest atrocities in Mexico's six-year war on drugs, but in recent months, authorities have arrested a string of high-profile Zeta members.
"Targeting Drug Cartel Leaders Is Key to Mexico's Strategy for War on Drugs" (Part-2) PBS Newshour 10/9/2012
Excerpt
SUMMARY: For Mexican President Felipe Calderon, the fall of Herbito Lazcano is part of a larger strategy to injure drug cartels' operations by targeting their leaders. Judy Woodruff talks to Reuters News Agency's Simon Gardner for more on how this success plays into the larger goals for curbing drug-related violence in Mexico.
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